Did everyone start their Christmas shopping yet, or are you waiting for the Black Friday craziness to end? I am going to try to do most of my shopping online this year to avoid the crowds! Yesterday we went hiking with some friends in Marin County. We got there just in time to see the fog rolling in over the city, check it out:

Today I am doing a little Christmas decorating. In honor of kicking off the holiday season, Organic Valley sent me a coupon to try one of their products. I chose to try their organic butter, since butter is an essential ingredient during the holiday baking season! I baked mini caramel apple pies with it, and they came out delicious!! Remember eating caramel-dipped apples as a kid? Well, combine that with apple pie and you’ve got a caramel apple pie…mmmm. I always prefer to bake mini versions of desserts so we aren’t stuck with a lot left over (although this isn’t always such a bad thing ).

Mini Caramel Apple Pie

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

25 mins

Total

1 hour 25 mins

Type: Dessert

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp salt

12 tbsp Organic Valley butter, cubed and chilled

Filling

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp apple juice

1 cup sugar

4 tbsp Organic Valley butter

12 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced

¼ cup almond liqueur (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

⅛ tsp cardamom

⅛ tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

½ cup Organic Valley butter, cubed and chilled

1 cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

Instructions

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

To make the topping, add topping ingredients to a large bowl and cut with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together cornstarch and apple juice and set aside.

Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat and add sugar. Stir for 7 minutes, and continue to cook until sugar caramelizes.

Just like you should probably not grocery shop on an empty stomach… I also am starting to believe you should not surfPinterest on an empty stomach. Yes? Anyone agree? Is it just me? It could just be me……

Within hours of pinning, these delightful beauties were not only made and ready for our post-dinner dessert, but I was also knee deep in powdered sugar making another batch I could freeze! Yes, they were that good.

My dad makes chocolate crinkles every Christmas… but I feel like I can officially make these myself without any father-copyright infringement because of the whole “caramel stuffing” aspect.(Mua-hahaha.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and sugars on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add in eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until combine. Add vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Scoop dough out 2 tbsp. at a time and roll into a ball (make sure your hands are floured). Press caramel into the center, sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt and enclose caramel with cookie dough. Shape into a ball once more and align cookies on Silpat lined or buttered cookie sheets. Bake 11 – 13 minutes.

I’m sure you can tell by now that I really love caramel and apples and anything that combines the two somehow! This recipe is the first time I have tried the two together in a beverage though, and I was a little nervous about trying it. The results were delicious though and this drink really does taste just like a caramel apple!

Caramel Apple Smoothies

1 medium sized apple, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup apple juice concentrate

5 tsp. caramel ice cream topping

7 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately and drizzle with additional caramel if desired. I have made this recipe a couple of times and have found that if you add 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, you will get a creamier beverage…either way is delicious. Enjoy!